The Food Department of the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) is taking a stand against food adulteration. They’ve issued notices to 11 restaurants and dairy units caught using analogue paneer, which is not made from genuine milk.
During recent inspections, officials collected various samples, including low-fat paneer and malai paneer. Testing revealed that these samples didn’t meet safety standards. As a result, AMC is moving forward with legal action against the implicated establishments by filing cases with an adjudicating officer.
Financial repercussions are also in play; an administrative penalty totaling ₹3.26 lakh has already been levied on these businesses.
The crackdown isn’t limited to just paneer. Over the past week, AMC’s food department gathered around 60 samples of different dairy products like lassi and ice cream for testing purposes. They also collected additional items for analysis: 33 samples of milkshakes, sugarcane juice, sikanji (a lemon drink), and ice gola were included in their efforts. Moreover, 16 samples of pani puri water and stuffing were scrutinized along with 33 samples of spices and iodized salt. In total, about 250 food samples have been sent out for laboratory analysis.
This initiative underscores the AMC’s commitment to ensuring food safety in Ahmedabad’s culinary scene. Meena Hari Foods from Maninagar was among those flagged for selling low-fat paneer and hard malai paneer that failed to meet compliance standards.
The authorities have made it clear: strict measures will continue against any instances of food adulteration or substandard ingredients used in local eateries.